Greek Peak Conditions

Harvey said:
I'm told Gore is using Snowmax now too. Among OPs it is credited for a big improvement.
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It's interesting how snowmax was developed. I recall being told that a ski area (don't remember if I was told or not, but can't recall which area) noticed that when they made snow using water from one of their ponds it allowed them to make snow at a warmer temp vs other water sources. The result was they found this bacteria in the one pond that wasn't in any other of their sources, thus snowmax was born.
 
Campgottagopee said:
Greek uses Snowmax, and has done so since the 80's when I used to make snow there. It's a natural bacteria that actually raises the freezing point therefore producing snow at marginal temps.

Product - Snomax

www.snomax.com www.snomax.com
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How is Snowmax actually mixed into the water? When pumping hundreds of gallons of water a minute, doesn't the Snowmax get diluted? I picture it as a liquid, or is it a powder?
 
Emily said:
How is Snowmax actually mixed into the water? When pumping hundreds of gallons of water a minute, doesn't the Snowmax get diluted? I picture it as a liquid, or is it a powder?
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There are tanks in the pumphouse that hold snowmax. From there it gets mixed into the water. I'm sure it's some mathematical equation, parts per thousand or something like that.
 
It was nice to get an alert for some LE this morning, I can't seem to connect to the webcam though. Hopefully the machine cranks up soon for a Kennedy SF/GP day!
 
Campgottagopee said:
It's interesting how snowmax was developed. I recall being told that a ski area (don't remember if I was told or not, but can't recall which area) noticed that when they made snow using water from one of their ponds it allowed them to make snow at a warmer temp vs other water sources. The result was they found this bacteria in the one pond that wasn't in any other of their sources, thus snowmax was born.
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Close Camp.
When they scaled it up they may have used ponds but most likely fermenters which are just more controllable ponds.
Folks noticed some of the same species were hit by frosts at higher temps than others and then attributed this phenomenon to bacteria.
They screened for Ice-Nucleating Activity and found bacteria mainly in non-coniferous "non-“pine” plants that got hit at a higher temperature by frosts.
Folks kept running with it to figure out how the little buggers do it. The rest is history.

This article's abstract is from Dec 1978.
Here’s some more old stuff bout it. Ya got the geek in me coming out again in da greek peak thread.
One from 1974
 
Campgottagopee said:
Looking like chair 4&5 for the weekend.
Snowmaking improvements
Proof is in the pudding, POW.
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If true that would be great, always thought that’s the direction they should be taken, hell I’d be happy with just chair 4. Thinking I’ll make it up this weekend for first outing with my daughter.
Can’t wait till night skiing kicks in.
 
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